For-note: Collaboration open! Details at the end of the chapter.


XXXIV – Before Midnight


As soon as the door opened before him, his younger sister jumped and hugged him tightly. Before he got the chance to push her away and check her temperature, the girl slapped him as hard as she could.

"You idiot! You could have died!" For the first time in years, Light could see her eyes glossy with real tears, not the type she would shed over the death of a fictional character in a TV series.

Frowning, Light sighed and took a side step so he could see his mother. She seemed just as worried, but was definitely controlling her emotions better. "I know, but I did what I had to do."

"We understand, dear. How are you feeling? Do you want anything for breakfast?" his mother asked. It was still morning when he had been allowed to leave the hospital and his father had escorted him home.

The teenager shook his head. "Thank you, mom, but I can't eat right now…"

His father did not even enter the house. "I have to go back to work. Take care," he told his wife right before turning to leave. It was easy to see he would have much rather taken at least one day off just so he could make sure his only son was not going through any possible complications, but the man had no choice. He was the chief of police and there was a mysterious serial killer loose on the streets. He couldn't just leave the investigation and take some time to himself – on the contrary, he knew he was most likely going to work extra hours.

Nodding, the woman looked at her son again. "Do you want some tea, then? We'll wait until lunch if you say you're not hungry now."

"…Something with lemon, please." Light had a bad taste in his mouth from the breakfast he had barely touched that morning that he couldn't get rid of. Then again, he knew it could be an illusion, the result of being in a hospital room with its specific scent that he disliked. Light couldn't wait to take a shower and change his clothes. He couldn't help but feel like his body was now smelling of medicine and antibacterial chemicals.

Sayu looked at him for a moment. "…Are you really feeling well, or just saying that in front of them?" she asked once their mother was off to the kitchen.

"It's nothing worth worrying about. I've been poisoned. You can imagine I'm not feeling great overnight." Taking the bag with his few belongings, the teenager climbed up the stairs.

"…Grumpier than usual means you're still sick. Fine, then! Stay in your room all day like you always do. It's not like conversation or fresh air helps anyone…" With a shrug, the girl turned her back on him. Much to her surprise, her brother sighed in annoyance and went into his room without giving her any complicated and meaningless comebacks.

Kira turned on the TV and laid on the bed. He hated the weakness still present in his body, making him much too tired after climbing up a couple of stairs. He opened the water bottle beside his bed, but it was already a couple of days old. When he smelled the scent, he frowned and set the bottle down.

'What's the matter?' Ryuk asked. 'Not thirsty?'

"It's old. I'll bring a new one after lunch," he explained briefly. Light connected his phone to the internet and began going through lists of criminals. He had his Death Note close enough so he could do his duty from bed.

On the news, there was a new report on a spontaneous fire. It quickly drew Kira's attention since that was the trademark of the Dragon – Caterina's father. 'Three more bodies had been found recently in the basement of the building. Our sources declared that the space had been turned into a torture room and that one of the bodies must have been that of a prisoner. We remind you that during the night of December fifth to the sixth, a truck driver had spotted the flames from afar and called the emergency number. At first, the firemen had found the body of a woman, hanged in one of the rooms. Could this be the layer of the notorious head of a criminal organization, also known as the Dragon? Here with me are Dr. Quinn, criminal psychologist, and Mr. Akira, detective and crime investigation professor at the Rising Sun Private Academy.'

The professor shrugged and kept his palms in front of him, fingers barely touching. 'It would appear, from the information we have so far, that this is the result of someone's plan going terribly wrong. First, it is well known that leaders of criminal organizations have each their own style and like most serial killers, act in patterns. I believe Dr. Quinn can confirm this and offer a better explanation.'

'Yes, of course. Let me begin by saying the scene looks more like a battlefield after an ambush rather than the result of somebody's plan. Detective, I have heard that you suspect two crime lords to have had a showdown there, correct?' Once the other one nodded, the psychologist continued. 'I tend to believe that what we see is the result of a third party intervening between the two. I had studied the crimes associated with both the Dragon and the Snake. There is a lot to discuss and analyze, but to cut it short, this is all too careless and messy to be the signature of any of the two. What they had in common was the love for their work. They both left clues on a crime scene, setting it as if it was a stage. The Dragon usually acted indoors and set fire to the entire building, usually through a controlled explosion set from a distance, while the Snake initially left snakes on the crime scene, then had a short period of pulling out the tongue of the victim and splitting it in half, eventually evolving into the clean stage that we had gotten used to in the past several years, where poison in the blood becomes his signature.'

'What do you think about the hanged woman?' the presenter asked both of her guests.

Light covered the Death Note when he heard steps coming up the stairs. By the pace, he knew it was his mother. Laying back down, he pretended to be watching the talk on TV when the door opened.

"Light, you shouldn't be watching this. You're too consumed by what's happening in the world…" the woman spoke with compassion, setting down a cup of tea on a bedside table.

Smiling weakly in return, Light sat up on the edge of his bed. "Thank you. I told you, I'm fine… I just need to know. Caterina and her father are still missing, right? What if they're among those?"

Shaking her head, the woman took the remote control and changed the channel to one with music. "You've done more than most people your age do. I think that girl should be grateful for everything you've gone through already. Now please, try to rest your mind as well. I'm afraid it might not be enough to stay in bed if you keep thinking about investigations and possibilities."

Sighing, Light nodded. "Alright, I will try… Mom? Is dad alright? He looks more tired than usual." On one side, Light was starting to worry. On the other, Kira wanted some information so he could figure out what his next move will be.

"You've got all of us worried sick. I think that's what you've noticed."

Light nodded. He was not going to get any information from his mother… She didn't seem to know anything. He thought about Caterina then. The girl would not allow him to keep important secrets from her, he could be sure of that. If they had any chance of ending up together, it meant he was going to have to tell her everything.

In the mean time, Caterina was rolling her eyes at the King. Her phone was ringing for the third time that morning and the man still refused to let her answer it.

"As if! We both know phones can be tracked while they're ringing, too. What's the point? Just give me my phone back already!"

"You're not answering it!" the King tried to impose his point of view. "We don't know who is calling you, meaning that it's not safe to answer it."

"…I'm not the one who broke out of prison by corrupting a kid to help you out and then kidnap me. Now you're stealing my phone and isolating me."

Angered and stressed, the King eventually gave in after more than two hours of hearing the same offenses. "Fine! I'll answer it and put it on speaker."

Caterina shrugged. "You're still giving it back, but it'll do for now."

As soon as the King pressed the green button, the voice at the other end noticed. 'Good morning. I am the secretary of Mr. Ooi. I had been warned there may be a third party listening to this conversation, so please let me read you the message Mr. Ooi has for you.'

Caterina frowned in confusion for a moment. The King looked just as confused by the situation. "Wait. Who did you say you're working for?"

'Please allow me to ignore this insulting question and move on. 'The man known as the Dragon is dead. According to his testimony, the custody of his daughter goes to Mr. Ooi, who will become her legal tutor from the moment the testimony becomes active and until the eighteenth birthday of the minor.' Also, you are invited to meet over lunch at the Presidential Hotel. Whoever you are, sir, you will be rewarded for your services.'

The man looked at Caterina as she stared blankly ahead, motionless and with an emotionless expression. Although shocked as well, he knew it was his duty to take responsibility now. "How do we know this is not a trap?"

'You will be presented the original testimony, written in ink on paper three years ago. It had been uncovered from a safe underneath a house of seniors in Sicily, in south Italy. The document has entered Mr. Ooi's possession one hour ago. Any other details you wish to hear in order to convince yourself of the authenticity of this offer?' the woman at the other end of the phone asked on a superior tone, though trying to remain calm. She was growing more annoyed every moment. "Sir? Are you still on the line?" she asked when a moment of silence passed.

'Yes… What time do we have to be there?' the male eventually answered her. His voice sounded empty and the secretary assumed it was because of the shock. That was everyone's reaction when hearing that the Dragon was, in fact, dead. Through the years, he had turned himself into some sort of a legend, almost superhuman - impossible to take down.

"Please be in the back of the restaurant at 1 p.m. today. Someone will lead you to your table. I believe it is self-understood that Mr. Ooi wishes to take the child then."

'…Yes, fine. I'll bring another child with me. He stays with me.'

"Only a moment, please." Pressing a button to keep the conversation on hold, she called her employer in his office. "Mr. Ooi? The caretaker wishes to bring a third person to the meeting, a child."

'Very well. Details don't interest me. Did he accept?' a deep voice asked through the speaker.

"Yes, sir. I gave him the time and place." She didn't have to hang up because her boss already did. Instead, she continued her conversation to the mysterious man who had taken in Caterina. "Are you still on line, sir?"

'It's me…' the voice of a young woman answered. 'So?'

"The presence of the child is allowed. Are you Ms. Amadeo?" the secretary asked. It would be best to try and win the girl on their side in order to prevent any rebellious acts in the near future. Those were rather common in similar situations, but highly inconvenient.

'…Yes. You picked up last night, right?' the woman heard her asking in a very strange way compared to the previous time they had spoken. If then she seemed ready to take on the world, now she sounded like she had given up.

"Correct. My condolences, miss." In response, the woman heard a weak 'mm-hmm' and a sigh. "If there is anything you wish to alleviate your state, please say."

'…I want the Snake and all of his men and connections to burn.'

"I will inform Mr. Ooi of your request. Anything else you wish for…?"

"Yes. But I will speak for myself from now on. The new term is eleven o'clock. This is not asking for permission. I will disappear unless my conditions are met exactly. I wish to receive the keys to my separated quarters with room service, a new phone with a new SIM card, and a gun. I want the wardrobes to be completely empty. I want Mr. Ooi to grant me access to one of the bank accounts my father had and I want him to ensure my protection. I want my own bodyguards and my personal driver. Lastly, I want to be able to speak directly to Mr. Ooi through phone calls and written messages whenever something important happens – I do not need others speaking with him in my name, I can take responsibility for my own words. That will be all for now," she hang up.

Caterina felt the tears becoming colder in the corners of her eyes as she looked up towards the ceiling to keep them from falling. Once he was sure the conversation was done, the King raised an eyebrow at her as he was assembling one of his guns. "Are you sure about that?"

"About what?" Caterina asked in return. "About… his passing? About that woman? About this arrangement he never mentioned?"

"'Bout what you've asked for. Are you sure that's a good idea?" the man clarified. "This Ooi guy… who is he? I never heard of him. He isn't one of the kids taken in by the Dragon – I should've known."

"Then…?" Caterina asked back. "You've been working with Padre for years. How come you never heard of him?"

"Umm… Boogle says he's a businessman," Yao interrupted them. "He's 'Vice President of TV Enterprises' at the Yotsuba Corporation, born on March 31st under the sign of Aries, in the year of the Dragon in '64… Well, that explains a lot. He's supposedly the guy directing the meetings of the Yotsuba Corporation Vice Presidents, Presidents, and other important people… and there are pics on the web with him meeting with other important people."

"What kind of important people?" Caterina asked, walking over to where the boy was surfing the internet on a bulky laptop.

"This guy owned Fanasonic until a year and half ago, when he died in a plane crush. This guy here is the Marketing Director of LuckyOil from Russia. This guy is Mr. Chang, he owns the largest chain of restaurants in China and has recently opened several in Taiwan. You know him, right, sir?" the boy looked towards the King and turned the laptop around.

The man nodded. "I helped him open his first restaurant. Your father's fish was mostly for his restaurants in the region."

"Thought so," the boy mumbled. "So apparently, the guy is big. Strange thing is that this is pretty much all I can find about him. No interviews or affairs or luxurious trips and all the usual stuff I can look up for every other associate."

"I see…" Caterina stood and walked up to the table where the King had assembled a few of his guns. "Does he have any family?" she asked the boy who began typing.

"Nope! Just his dad, but it doesn't say his name or anything. Weird guy…"

"You have to teach me how to aim," Caterina demanded. In the mean time, Yao was just lighting up a cigarette.

"Why?" the King asked right before hearing the spark of a lighter. "What the-! Put that shit down! Where did you get that?"

The child shrugged. "I'm eleven now. I had a friend back home who smokes since he was eight."

"You can't smoke until you stop growing!" The man took the cigarette out of the child's mouth, threw it on the floor and stepped on it.

"When's that?" the boy pouted.

"Around twenty," Caterina answered in a bore. "Now teach me how to aim." She pointed the gun at him waiting for a reaction. When nothing happened, she pointed it at Yao.

"Now hold up a minute here! You're not pointing that at anyone, understood?! I'll show you, fine, but don't play with guns like that!" The King sighed. "Hell… You never killed anyone. That's the big thing. You have to kill once and get over it, or it will haunt you."

The auburn-haired girl bit her lip and took a deep breath in. "That doesn't matter. Show me! I will do anything necessary to save my own life. From now on, I'm looking after myself. You should do the same."

Eventually, the King obeyed the order. Of course, it soon turned into Yao's first lesson as well – neither of the children knew how to aim, even if they'd seen it done so many times before they had lost count. Before they even realized it though, the time had passed by. A phone call drew everyone's attention as Caterina set the gun down and went to pick up with a bitter smile on her lips.

"Glad you've made it…" she said as soon as she held the phone to her ear.

'What happened? Are you alright?' she heard the voice at the other end ask. He sounded a little tired, maybe even annoyed, but not by her.

Blinking away a few tears, she nodded with a sigh, as if he could see her through some mind trick. "…Been better, but I survived. I always do – that's the only thing that matters. As long as we're alive, it could always be worse."

"Who's that?" Yao asked, rising a suspicious brow at Caterina, but the teen ignored him.

"I'm busy… But maybe in the evening I can find a few hours. Either then, or tomorrow, if you say you're feeling fine," she continued as the King took the boy by his side.

"Her boyfriend, but she doesn't like to say it. Keep quiet about this subject," the man explained. "Loosen up that belt one size and hide the gun there. If anything goes wrong, aim for the head – don't take any chances. It's hard aiming for the heart when you have no experience, so go for the bigger target. Understood?"

Yao nodded. "Got it. But why doesn't she want to talk about him? Girls and women never shut up about their boyfriends and lovers. They say the strangest things when they talk to each other or when someone asks about it."

The King shrugged. "No idea… She just hates the topic. Be careful with the gun. There's always a chance it will discharge when you don't want it. Don't hit it and don't lean on it."

"Right," the boy agreed. "You've said that four times before."

With just a word, Yao proved once again his memory was much more accurate than his own. The King was terrified the child might one day turn against him, just like Noburu turned against the Dragon, abandoned the name given to him by their caretaker and proclaimed himself independent. For a moment, he thought about it and the cold chill of anticipation froze his spine. What would he do if Yao decided to do the same one day, considering himself superior to him? The King already saw the boy almost like a son, meaning he wouldn't be capable of killing him in the future if that day ever came. On the other hand, the man was disgusted that he had even dared to think about such things. Even so, it was a possibility that the Dragon should have anticipated for years… Could it be the reason why he fell?

"Sir!" Yao's voice eventually pulled him out of his own thoughts as the King jumped and looked at the boy. "It's already a quarter to eleven. We should go, if we want to make it in time. What's wrong? Are you worried about something? You didn't seem to hear me before."

Surprised, the man turned to Caterina, who shrugged and threw him a half smile. She was trying to look amused, but it was all a charade. "…He's right, you know?"

Nodding, the King looked over the table. "Right. I'll take my keys and-"

"I already have 'em," Yao smiled, keeping the car keys in front of himself and looking at the King through the ring. "Let's hurry."

By midnight, the King had received the sum of money promised in one of his bank accounts. Changing his clothes and looking more like a street rat than a rich man, he and Yao took a boat for China. He already knew there was a possibility he wouldn't succeed, but he still had to try claiming back his power in the country before someone else did.

Caterina received her room that evening, but didn't spend more than a couple of minutes there. She walked out as soon as Mr. Ooi left her alone, ordering the guards to remain at their positions as if she had any real power. Light called her over and she couldn't tell from his voice how much was real sickness and how much was pretend – an excuse meant to make her feel restless and guilty if she even thought of turning it down.

By evening, Kira knew for certain that the Dragon was dead. The news confirmed it, even if it was still a hot topic for debate and the investigation had just began. All that he needed to hear was that the one person in the world that Caterina obeyed was out of the picture. He knew he couldn't have competed with the Dragon, though he tried anyway. Now was his chance to make use of everything he initiated but didn't finish before.

He heard the doorbell ringing and his sister running to the door. 'I've got it!' she called back to their mother, probably. Playing sicker than he really felt, Light waited for another few moments before opening the door and looking down from the top of the stairs. Caterina was just walking in.

"Are you sure he did? He said he's sick," Sayu asked, watching the stranger suspiciously.

Caterina nodded with a superior smile on her face. "Of course. That's the only reason I didn't call him over."

"MOM?!" the girl called, trying to block the stranger's way.

"Sayu, it's fine. I wanted to see her," Light stepped into their conversation. "Be more polite with our guest."

Caterina nodded towards Light. "You should listen to your brother. From what I know, you still have some catching up to do before you can argue with him."

Frowning, the girl stepped aside. "I don't like your girlfriend."

Before Light could intervene, Caterina pet her on the head. "Really? I'm so sorry. From what Light said, I thought you admired me, but it seems you only admired the image of me that my mother tried to present and sell. By the way, if you ever want to go backstage at a fashion show, give me a call. I'll see what can be arranged." Caterina took off her shoes and was already up the first few steps.

Sayu watched her with wide eyes, conflicted and confused, amazed but still angry from before. "…She even walks like a model. That's so unfair!" she whined in a low voice. "And I just got burned!"

Pouting, the brown-haired girl dragged her feet back into the living room. "Mom?"

The woman was doing the dishes after dinner. "Yes, dear?"

"Do you know Light's girlfriend?" the girl sat at the table and leaned on her elbow. "I mean, do you know her for real, or just from what he's saying? 'Cause she doesn't seem very nice."

"What are you saying? She seems nice enough."

Sayu sighed. "Yeah, well, Light's not gonna talk badly of her, but… Oh, never mind!" Sayu let her head fall over her hand on the table.

"What's the matter?" the mother asked as she began drying the dishes.

"She seems this stuck-up little…! She's like every shrew in the movies. Walking like she owns the place the first time she comes over and pets me on the head like I'm a dog or something!" Sayu lifted her head, looking at her mother and waiting for a reaction.

"…Well, she does come from the West, right? Westerners are more relaxed than us, they don't necessarily do it on purpose, even if they can be rude sometimes." The woman smiled. "Let's give her a chance. If Light likes her, she can't be the way you described her."

The girl frowned. "I don't think so. And I bet dad doesn't agree with you. I mean, she's the reason my brother nearly got himself killed, playing hero and all that."

Sighing heavily, the woman put the dishes back. "…I don't think it was her fault. Besides, the girl is an orphan. Try not to bring up this subject when she's around."

Sayu bit her lip in guilt and looked away. "I guess… But did she at least tell anyone she was coming over? I'm wearing sweatpants."

"Light mentioned it before dinner. I think you were in the bathroom." Slightly amused, the woman looked at her daughter's clothes. "What's wrong with sweatpants?"

"There's this guy who's really big in fashion and he says sweatpants are a sign you failed at life. Like, if your life is a disaster, you've bought yourself some sweatpants because you've got nowhere to be in public so it doesn't matter."

"I doubt ordinary people see it the same way," her mother laughed.

"Well, she does! She was raised by a designer, of course she's going to judge by stupid rules like this one," Sayu pointed out.


Author's Notes:

Chapter proofread by the beta AbandonedSock, as always.

The next one's going to be hot~ If you ship Light with Caterina (which I will assume you do by now), they will be in the spotlight for an entire chapter. Also, I'll make my attempt to resurrect an abandoned story for the Shaman King fandom, once again focused on the bad guy trying to create a better world through blood and ashes. Building Paradise will also pick on different probems of the modern world, but I will try a different approach, better fit for the younger reader. It will be a more relaxing, peaceful read, though still getting the message out there. If you know the fandom, please follow that story as well.

If you're wondering where L is, he is currently getting reports on Kira's crimes. Also, just to ensure the element of suspense and make sure there will be a few very L-ish scenes in the next few chapters, I will ask someone to help me with a small collaboration project. That someone could even be you! SURPRISE! Just leave a review stating that you want to participate and your top 3 favorite characters (from Death Note or from this story).